Poetic Expressions: Students of Color Express Resiliency Through Metaphors and Similes

doi:10.4219/JAA-2007-355

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Poetic Expressions: Students of Color Express Resiliency Through Metaphors and Similes

Journal Article•DOI•

Poetic Expressions: Students of Color Express Resiliency Through Metaphors and Similes

Horace R. Hall¹•Institutions (1)

DePaul University¹

01 Feb 2007-Journal of Advanced Academics (SAGE Publications)-Vol. 18, Iss: 2, pp 216-244

TL;DR: The after-school City School Outreach youth program captured the attention of high school male students by offering them a physically and psychologically safe environment to talk about issues they faced as mentioned in this paper.

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Abstract: The after-school City School Outreach youth program captured the attention of high school male students by offering them a physically and psychologically safe environment to talk about issues they faced. The students of color who attended the program used various forms of creative written expression (i.e., poetry, spoken word, and hip hop) to document and share their lived realities as African American and Latino youth. An analysis of their writings and subsequent interviews revealed a variety of coping strategies and resources that these resilient adolescent males of color used to transcend adversity in their environment. When adolescent males of color have a strong sense of cultural pride and awareness, they are able to construct a healthy self-concept that assists them in acts of agency and resistance against negative psychological forces in their environment. These students used familial and nonfamilial support mechanisms, such as peers, church, and mentors, to assist them in reducing the stressful im...

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Journal Article•

Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria

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Mark Englefield

01 Jul 2005-Mankind Quarterly

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the Black Male Development Initiative (BMDI) as a strategy for Black males on campus and discuss their personal experiences and memories of moments where they become aware of similarities and differences among people.

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Abstract: Race and Racism w “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?” featuring Dr. Beverly Tatum’s book. w “Recovering from Racism: Redefining What it Means to be White.” w “50th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education.” w “The Mis-Education of the Negro” featuring Dr. Carter Woodson’s book. w “Moving Past the Margins: Creating successful strategies for Black males on campus,” presenting the Black Male Development Initiative (BMDI). w “He had a Dream... What is Yours?” Addressing Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and its current relevance in our society. w “Demystifying Malcolm X.” w “Racial Stereotyping and Responses to Terrorism.” w “Racial Stereotyping – Responding to Fear.” w “Free, White and (over) 21: Being White in a Multicultural World.” w “Constructing Race and Ethnicity in the 21st Century.” w “How did I Learn about Culture and Race?” Sharing your personal experiences and memories of moments where you become aware of similarities and differences among people. w “ABC: American-Born... and Confused?” w “The Invisible Asian: Where are the Asians in Diversity?” w “100 Years of Race Talk: Is It Enough?”

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1,031 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Learning Gender@@@Shards of Glass: Children Reading and Writing beyond Gendered Identities

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Timothy J. Lensmire, Bronwyn Davies

01 Jun 1995-Educational Researcher

TL;DR: In this paper, a post-structuralist theory and the study of gendered childhoods are used to identify the subjects of childhood knowledge and reading and writing a vision of femininity.

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Abstract: Post-structuralist theory and the study of gendered childhoods the subjects of childhood knowledge and the subjects of reading and writing a vision of femininity? (masculine) transformations sexuality deconstructive reading writing beyond the male-female dualism.

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593 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

Cool Pose: The Dilemmas of Black Manhood in America.

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Terri Gullickson, Pamela Ramser

01 Jan 1996-Psyccritiques

421 citations

Journal Article•DOI•

The Role of School in Adolescents’ Identity Development. A Literature Review

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M. Verhoeven¹, Astrid M. G. Poorthuis², Monique Volman¹•Institutions (2)

University of Amsterdam¹, Utrecht University²

01 Mar 2019-Educational Psychology Review

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a literature review on the role of school in adolescents' identity development from different research fields and to provide schools and teachers with insights into how adolescents’ identity development can be supported.

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Abstract: Schools can play an important role in adolescents’ identity development. To date, research on the role of school in adolescents’ identity development is scattered across research fields that employ different theoretical perspectives on identity. The aim of this literature review was to integrate the findings on the role of school in adolescents’ identity development from different research fields and to provide schools and teachers with insights into how adolescents’ identity development can be supported. Using constant comparative analysis, 111 studies were analyzed. We included articles on personal and social identity and on school-related identity dimensions. Three groups of studies emerged. First, studies on how schools and teachers unintentionally impact adolescents’ identity showed that, at school, messages may unintentionally be communicated to adolescents concerning who they should or can be through differentiation and selection, teaching strategies, teacher expectations, and peer norms. Second, studies on how schools and teachers can intentionally support adolescents’ identity development showed that different types of explorative learning experiences can be organized to support adolescents’ identity development: experiences aimed at exploring new identity positions (in-breadth exploration), further specifying already existing self-understandings (in-depth exploration), and reflecting on self-understandings (reflective exploration). The third group suggests that explorative learning experiences must be meaningful and situated in a supportive classroom climate in order to foster adolescents’ identity development. Together, the existing studies suggest that schools and teachers are often unaware of the many different ways in which they may significantly impact adolescents’ identity development.

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113 citations

Cites background from "Poetic Expressions: Students of Col..."

...…(Rogers, Morrell, & Enyedy, 2007; Vianna & Stetsenko, 2011), three ethnographic studies that do not explicitly adopt a particular perspective (Hall, 2007; Hardee & Reyelt, 2009; Muhammad, 2012), and one theoretical study in which various perspectives on identity are combined (Henfield,…...
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...Various theoretical articles, that either do not explicitly mention a perspective on identity development (Hall, 2007), or combine various perspectives on identity development (Harrell-Levy & Kerpelman, 2010; Ligorio, 2010), also argued that engaging adolescents in (internal) dialogues can help…...
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Journal Article•DOI•

White on black: can white parents teach black adoptive children how to understand and cope with racism?

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Darron T. Smith¹, Brenda G. Juárez², Cardell K. Jacobson³•Institutions (3)

Wichita State University¹, University of South Alabama², Brigham Young University³

13 Apr 2011-Journal of Black Studies

TL;DR: The authors use the notion of White racial framing to move outside of the traditional arguments for or against transracial adoption to instead explore how a close analysis of the adoptive parents’ racial instructions may serve as a learning tool to foster more democratic and inclusive forms of family and community.

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Abstract: In this article, the authors examine White parents’ endeavors toward the racial enculturation and inculcation of their transracially adopted Black children. Drawing on in-depth interviews, the authors identify and analyze themes across the specific race socialization strategies and practices White adoptive parents used to help their adopted Black children to develop a positive racial identity and learn how to effectively cope with issues of race and racism. The central aim of this article is to examine how these lessons about race help to connect family members to U.S. society’s existing racial hierarchy and how these associations position individuals to help perpetuate or challenge the deeply embedded and historical structures of White supremacy. The authors use the notion of White racial framing to move outside of the traditional arguments for or against transracial adoption to instead explore how a close analysis of the adoptive parents’ racial instructions may serve as a learning tool to foster more democratic and inclusive forms of family and community.

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75 citations

Cites background from "Poetic Expressions: Students of Col..."

...Resiliency is a protective mechanism that is requisite for individuals to successfully struggle against racism (Hall, 2007; Phinney, Cantu, & Kurtz, 1997)....
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Book•

Mentoring Young Men of Color: Meeting the Needs of African American and Latino Students

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Horace R. Hall

22 Jun 2006

TL;DR: This chapter discusses Youth Mentoring: A View Through Multiple Lenses and Real Profiles: Mentors and Mentees, a Quest for Realness.

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Abstract: Part 1 Preface Part 2 Acknowledgments Part 3 Prologue: Endangered? Chapter 4 Chapter 1- Youth Mentoring: A View Through Multiple Lenses Chapter 5 Chapter 2- Embracing Young Males of Color in the School Domain Chapter 6 Chapter 3- Constructing a Space for Boys Chapter 7 Chapter 4- Extending beyond a Space for Boys Chapter 8 Chapter 5- A REAL History Lesson Part 1: Origins of a SBM Program Chapter 9 Chapter 6- A REAL History Lesson Part 2: A Quest for Realness Chapter 10 Chapter 7- REAL Profiles: Mentors and Mentees

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51 citations

"Poetic Expressions: Students of Col..." refers background or methods or result in this paper

...Observing Hill’s (1998) individual level, Rolando has clearly internalized positive values (i....
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...Hall (2006) claimed that peer circles often serve as locations for sharing social and cultural information that youth of color consider legitimate and valuable sources of knowledge....
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...Observing Hill’s (1998) individual level, Rolando has clearly internalized positive values (i.e., cultural pride and esteem) that protect him against negative influences and social pressures. However, Quiroz (2001) noted that for Latinos, whether bicultural or assimilated, trying to construct an identity within the dominant culture is not easy. These individuals face “an ongoing dilemma of negotiation, resilience, and angst (Quiroz, 2001, p. 333). Ogbu and Simons (1998) claimed that, despite the predicaments associated with identity construction, “minorities are also autonomous human beings who actively interpret and respond to their situation. Minorities are not helpless victims” (p. 157). From Rolando’s own words, we can see that he is not helpless in opposing conditions associated with the racial mark of “other.” Indeed, he is able to “interpret and respond to” his differentiated status by declaring, “I’m going to be something better than that—I’m going to be me and I’m still going to be accepted” (personal interview, March 9, 2004). Looking at Hill’s (1998) family and community level, Rolando expressed that he receives adequate financial and emotional support from his mother and younger sister (personal interview, March 9, 2004)....
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...The resiliency models of Hill (1998) and Spitler et al....
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...These outcomes are consistent with Hill (1998) and Spitler et al. (2002) who regard supportive, nonfamilial relationships as a major protective barrier for at-risk African American and Latino youth....
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Journal Article•DOI•

Enhancing the resilience of African American families

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Robert B. Hill¹•Institutions (1)

Morgan State University¹

01 Jun 1998-Journal of Human Behavior in The Social Environment

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors demonstrate how a resiliency perspective can assist helping professionals in working more effectively with low-income families of color, and also seek to assist social workers and policymakers in developing program interventions and public policies that enhance resilience by building on the strengths and assets of families of colour.

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Abstract: This article attempts to demonstrate how a resiliency perspective can assist helping professionals in working more effectively with low-income families of color. It also seeks to assist social workers and policymakers in developing program interventions and public policies that enhance resilience by building on the strengths and assets of families of color.

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40 citations

"Poetic Expressions: Students of Col..." refers background or methods or result in this paper

...Rolando’s peer group experience has expanded his knowledge of his dual culture and enhanced his positive feelings related to self-esteem and self-worth—two 237Volume 18 ✤ Number 2 ✤ Winter 2007 essential components in resiliency (Buckner et al., 2003; Hill, 1998; Levesque, 2002)....
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...As previously discussed, the supportive nature of nonfamilial relationships act as a protective barrier, as well as a determinant of success for African American adolescents (Hill, 1998; Spitler et al., 2002)....
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...These outcomes are consistent with Hill (1998) and Spitler et al. (2002) who regard supportive, nonfamilial relationships as a major protective barrier for at-risk African American and Latino youth....
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...These themes were primarily filtered through the theoretical lenses of Hill (1998) and Spitler et al. (2002). The second interpretation and analysis phase functioned to maximize objectivity by collaborating with students and asking them to explain their text (i....
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...…a strong cultural base not only serves as a protective barrier that contributes to resiliency, but also enables a student of color to develop positive views about himself, which can lead to better performances in and outside of school (Hill, 1998; Kunjufu, 1995; Phinney, Cantu, & Kurtz, 1997)....
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Journal Article•DOI•

The Public Assault on America's Children: Poverty, Violence and Juvenile Injustice

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Beverly D. Epps, Valerie Polakow

22 Jan 2002-Journal of Negro Education

TL;DR: The Public Assault on America's Children: Poverty, Violence and Juvenile Injustice, edited by Valerie Polakow, is a comprehensive look at systemic violence against children in the United States.

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Abstract: The Public Assault on America's Children: Poverty, Violence and Juvenile Injustice, edited by Valerie Polakow. New York: Teachers College Press, 2000. 212 pp. $14.95, paper. Reviewed by Beverly D. Epps, Virginia Commonwealth University. The Public Assault on America's Children, edited by Valerie Polakow, is a comprehensive look at systemic violence against children in the United States. The authors consider the implementation of any policy, practice, or procedure, that excludes, harms, or denies children their civil rights, an act of violence. They firmly situate these acts of violence in social policies. The purpose of this book is to reveal these "less visible" acts of violence and inform the public of the unintended discriminatory effects of social policy. The authors are child advocates who have years of experience in social policy and the arena of juvenile justice. The tone in their voices escalates from quiet articulation of the facts and figures on acts of violence against children to righteous indignation over the social injustices inflicted upon children-specifically children of color. The book consists of an introduction followed by cohesive chapters that are grouped into three sections. In the introduction, Polakow documents the impact of changes in social polices on poor families. Polakow shows how the legislation that links aid to requirements for mandatory work takes the food out of poor children's mouths and reduces their access to quality child care. She also cites statistics that show a disproportionate number of the children impacted by such legislation are children of color. Her discussion shifts to the historic existence of inequities in education resources, expectations, and outcomes for poor Black children. She provides commentary about policies meant to increase school safety to protect children and about the children who are left unprotected by these policies. Polakow also questions the disproportionate numbers of Black children who are expelled from school and incarcerated in adult jails. Against this backdrop, Polakow lays the groundwork for a discussion of research on children's rights and systemic acts of violence perpetrated against children under the veil of public policy. In Part I, Barbara Finkelstein begins the discussion with a historical perspective on how religious, political, and economic practices influence public policy. She details how the practices of society shelter the rights of parents and limit government intervention. Her analysis reveals how the practices or "traditions" have left children vulnerable to the adverse circumstances that surround them. Finkelstein suggests that if we are going to break the cycle of violence against children, then we must revisit the traditional lines that have been drawn between public and private lives, church and state, and the "haves" and "have nots." Sue Books gives an example of the line between the haves and the have nots in her analysis of the increasing numbers of poor children with the environmentally induced health problems of tuberculosis, asthma, and lead poisoning. Citing medical research and government reports, Books' maintains that the problem is not in the diseases themselves but it is in the choices society makes in how they handle the problems. She claims that the haves can provide their children with healthy home environments, while the have nots are expected to cope with the diseases brought on by deplorable living conditions. She places the health problems in the context of the social and moral issues surrounding the unequal distribution of wealth in this country. These health problems and the stress that comes with them make up a part of what Joseph Vorrasi and James Garbarino refer to as the "socially toxic" world of poor children. These authors debunk the perception of a direct link between poverty and youth violence by exploring how risk factors in a socially toxic world become mediating factors between poverty and youth violence. …

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36 citations

Book•

Eliminating Racial Profiling in School Discipline: Cultures in Conflict

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Martha R. Bireda

01 Jun 2002

TL;DR: In this paper, the impact of culture and cross-cultural communication conflicts in the classroom is discussed and a village approach is proposed to support the formation of relationships with parents and community.

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Abstract: 1 Discipline: The New Equity Issue 2 Merely a Symptom 3 The Impact of Culture 4 Cross-Cultural Communication Conflicts in the Classroom 5 Stereotyping in the Classroom 6 Cultural Conflicts, Cultural Conditioning, and Disciplinary Practices 7 Changing the School Climate: The Administrator's Role 8 Changing Individual Attitudes 9 The Village Approach: Forming Partnerships with Parents and Community 10 Evaluating the Process: School Climate and Individual Assessment

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24 citations

"Poetic Expressions: Students of Col..." refers background in this paper

...Within school settings, the research literature reports that African American and Latino students, primarily males, are commonly perceived as more aggressive and are punished more frequently than their White counterparts (Bireda, 2002; Dohrn, 2000; Hall, 2006; Irvine, 2003)....
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Book Chapter•DOI•

Academic disidentiﬁcation: unravelling under achievement among Black boys

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Jason W. Osborne

29 Jun 2005

TL;DR: This paper found that African-descended children do better in school than children born into the majority white culture. But, the gap between White and minority students widens by as much as two grade levels by sixth grade (e.g., by 6th grade).

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Abstract: Educational and psychological research has long noted that students of African or Caribbean descent (collectively referred to here as Black) tend to experience poor academic outcomes relative to White majority students. This trend persists even after controlling for exogenous variables such as socioeconomic status, prior academic preparedness, and family structure (for a recent overview of this research, see Steele 1997). There are numerous explanations for these trends in the literature, including differences in cognitive style (e.g. Shade 1982), aversion to intellectual competition (Howard and Hammond 1985), language barriers and general cultural differences (e.g. Jacob and Jordan 1993) and even genetics (Herrnstein and Murray 1994). However, as authors such as Steele (1997) have pointed out, these theories tend not to be very satisfying. For example, if cultural differences are the culprit, why do children who emigrate from cultures drastically different from ours (e.g. Middle Eastern countries, Asian countries) often do better than Black children who come from families and communities with cultures that are arguably more similar to those of the majority White culture? Why do African immigrants (children not born into the majority White culture) do better in school than African-descended children born into the majority White culture? It is questions such as these that tend to make genetics and lingual/cultural theories unsatisfying. Other observations also raise interesting questions. For example, the Black White gap is not static, nor is it present at the beginning of schooling. The gap between White and minority students widens by as much as two grade levels by sixth grade (e.g. Alexander and Entwhistle 1988; Valencia 1991, 1997).

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19 citations

"Poetic Expressions: Students of Col..." refers background in this paper

...…of work that focuses on why youth of color either fail or succeed academically (Cammarota, 2004; Conchas, 2001; Fordham & Ogbu, 1986; Juarez, 1996; Majors & Billson, 1992; Osborne, 2001), there is little research that concentrates on the dynamics that build resiliency within these young people....
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...Even though there is an abundance of work that focuses on why youth of color either fail or succeed academically (Cammarota, 2004; Conchas, 2001; Fordham & Ogbu, 1986; Juarez, 1996; Majors & Billson, 1992; Osborne, 2001), there is little research that concentrates on the dynamics that build resiliency within these young people....
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